Cardiff City Premier League Fixtures, Squad, Guide

Back in the big time, will Cardiff make any noise in the Premier League?

Cardiff got promoted last season, back in the Premier league once again (Getty Images)

Cardiff City Premier League Fixtures, Squad, Guide

Cardiff City are back in the big time, four years on from their solitary Premier League campaign, after Neil Warnock masterminded the eighth promotion of his career. Warnock has been busy in the summer transfer market, bringing in keeper Alex Smithies (QPR, £3.5m), midfielder Bobby Reid (Bristol City, £10m), defender Greg Cunningham (Preston North End, £3.5m) and midfielder Josh Murphy (Norwich City, £10m).

Annual wage bill – £20.6m (2017)

Annual income – £28.7m (2017)

Stadium Cardiff City (33,280)

Odds – 1,000-1 to win Premier League

FAN’S VIEW

Michael Morris, @cardiffcitymad

LAST SEASON WAS…

Fantastic. It was a promotion season, back in our blue shirts and finishing in the top two against all the odds.

OUR BIGGEST HERO

Sean Morrison. Skippered the side, led by example, defended like a hero and scored goals too – none more incredible that the second goal away at Hull where Cardiff all but confirmed their promotion when Morrison ran the length of the field to finish a breakaway move.

OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN

How can you pick a villain when your side gets promoted? Some players disappointed and were loaned out, but that’s football, they can’t all be winners. We brought in Lee Tomlin from Bristol City but had to loan him out. Omar Bogle showed glimpses but was also loaned out. Gary Madine was a hero at Bolton but came to us and didn’t get any breaks. We paid a lot of money for him.

YOUNGSTER TO WATCH

Mark Harris and Cameron Coxe are Welsh under-21 internationals and are the most recognisable names from the youth set-up. Both are aged 19. In the first-team squad Callum Paterson is only 23 but played a big part in our promotion.

MOST UNDERRATED PLAYER

Joe Bennett delivered consistently throughout last season and you’d just expect him to start every game. While other players made the headlines, Bennett got on with the job efficiently.

Aron Gunnarsson is fresh from his World Cup with Iceland (Getty Images)

HOPES & FEARS FOR 2018-19

The obvious answer is you hope not to be relegated and fear being beaten week in week out – but this time it feels different. Cardiff go into the new campaign with a different attitude and I expect to see a hard-working side that competes in every match and gives itself a chance of establishing itself at Premier League level.